Forbidden Love
by tessawwrr
Summary: Basically I felt there wasn't enough Katniss - Gale stuff on here. There'll be some Katniss - Peeta in the later chapters. My first fanfic so reviews are appreciated! Rated M for a reason.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

The beauty of dappled sunlight through the leaves was lost on Katniss as she focused on a deer not far from her. She raised her bow, silent and deliberate, aiming straight for its eye. In a moment she released her arrow and the deer fell heavy to the floor. She turned triumphant and grinning to Gale, they hadn't taken down a deer in months and she was pleased with her kill, however the smile fell from her lips when she saw the look on his face. It was the same look he always seemed to have around her since she returned from the Hunger Games, distant, as if he didn't want to be near her.

When he noticed her gaze he gave a faint smile, and said with a hint of sarcasm "Well done, guess my family will dine like victors tonight." Before stalking away from her to retrieve the deer.

Katniss felt her heart sink, she couldn't blame Gale for being so cold with her, in his eyes hunting was her hobby, whereas for him he had to, it meant the survival of his family. She had tried to justify herself by informing him she was trying to help him, share the load to keep his family fed, but he became even colder at this suggestion of charity.

This awkwardness had been going on for months now and she couldn't stand it any longer, the guilt she felt for being so rich and not being able to share it with Gale, in case it raised the Capitol's suspicions, was becoming unbearable. Not only that but his clear resentment of her for it. All she wanted was to go back to how it was before the games, to when they actually enjoyed each other's company.

She was startled from her thoughts by Gale roughly pushing past her to get his hunting bag. Deciding today she would have another go at trying to diffuse the tension between them she grabbed his arm, "Gale, please, can we just talk?"

He turned, but instead of looking her in the eyes, he focused on a spot just behind her shoulder, "Sure."

Katniss bitterly noted the lack of eye contact and couldn't stop the frustration edging into her voice as she tried to address the issue, "Look, I can't deal with this anymore, we need to either sort it out or just stop hunting together!"

"Deal with what?" he asked, still in the same uninterested voice, still without looking at her face.

"You resenting me for being rich! For not having to work to keep my family alive! For having it easy now! I'm fucking sorry I won the _fucking_ games!" She resisted turning away from him after this emotional outburst, despite the tears of anger beginning to form in her eyes, and was rewarded as she soon saw Gale's icy demeanour falter slightly and he looked her in the eye for the first time in weeks.

"I don't resent you for winning the games Katniss," he said gently, "or being rich or any of that. I can't even imagine what you went through, you deserve that money."

"Then what is it? Why wont you even look at me?" The anger was still in her voice but she was grateful that he was finally connecting with her.

He sighed and looked away, "What does it matter anyway? I thought we were supposed to be best friends," his voice took on a bitter edge, "but I suppose Peeta took that role, I'm surprised you have any time for me now you've found your true love."

This took her off guard, she wasn't expecting that and she had no idea what he meant by it. It took a minute for her to try process what he had said, and during this time Gale turned angrily and began to walk away. "I don't understand!" She called finally, her confusion evident on her face, "I don't love Peeta, I already told you what's going on there."

Without turning Gale replied, "Well you could've fooled me."

"What, are you jealous? That I spend more time with him than you?" She began after him, still with no idea as to what he was referring to.

Gale turned swiftly, his face full of raw emotion, "No, I'm jealous because you're _fucking_ him Katniss." His voice was sharp, full of jealously and resentment, causing her to recoil as if he'd slapped her.

Neither of them had expected him to say that, and the look on Gale's face clearly revealed he wish he hadn't. "But I'm not-" she began, before Gale cut her off,

"Seem to be spending an awful lot of time in his bed though don't you?" His voice was still bitter, but beginning to falter, he wasn't sure if he wanted to be having this conversation.

Her face went white, she often did sleep in Peeta's bed but that was because of her nightmares of the games, and to try to convince the Capitol that their love was real. She was about to tell him this when something else occurred to her, something that made no sense at all, "Even if I was, why would you care Gale?"

She watched emotions she couldn't name cross his face before he finally answered her in a low voice, "Because I love you."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two

After Gale's revelation and Katniss' stunned silence he swiftly left, regret and embarrassment hanging heavily on him. He shouldn't have said anything, now their already awkward hunting sessions would be unbearable, that's if she even ever wanted to come hunting with him again. He rubbed his face and sighed deeply before ducking under the fence to return home, cursing himself for leaving the game in the woods, but he knew he couldn't return for it now.

Katniss was still in the spot that he had left her, still too shocked to move. She had not expected that and was struggling to process what this meant for her. Of course she had had feelings for him, he was handsome, strong, brave, but even with all his brawn he could still delicately set intricate snares. But she had never dreamed that he would return those feelings. What did it matter anyway? She couldn't be with him, not without the Capitol killing her family, killing Gale. Her face twisted in pain as she imagined a life without Gale, even the Gale that sulked in her presence.

As the woods began to grow dark she finally roused herself from her thoughts and returned to her home, taking the game with her, she'd take it to Gale's mother tomorrow, as right now she didn't think that Gale wanted to see her.

The next morning she was still relatively overwhelmed but she knew she needed to speak to Gale, she took the game from the day before to his house, hopeful that he might be in, but Hazelle, Gale's mother, informed her that he has already left. So she heads to woods, after returning empty handed yesterday he'd have to be hunting today to make up for it.

After scrambling under the fence she made her way to their normal meeting spot, but there was no sign of him. Not really surprised she began to scout out the area looking for him, finally she found him in an area of the woods that they don't often use. He was clearly avoiding her and she was glad of her practically silent movements as she crept forward to look at him. Gale was sat motionlessly against a tree, staring into the distance, his chiselled features were twisted into an expression of angst that made her want to run into his arms and comfort him.

"Gale?" She said softly, stepping into his line of vision, startling him.

"What the fuck!" He jumped up, trying to compose himself, "why are you here?"

"I… I think we should talk…" She stuttered, no idea how to act in the situation.

"I think you made your feelings clear yesterday," he replied bitterly.

"I don't think I did," she murmured back. Something in her face betrayed her feelings and within an instant he was centimetres from her face, breathing her in.

He waited a second for her to move away, and when she didn't he closed the distance between their lips, kissing her deeply. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he pulled her towards him, his muscular arms encircling her tiny waist. She wasn't sure what she was doing but her desire was taking control and soon she was unbuttoning his shirt, still kissing him desperately, as if her life depended on it.

In response Gale tugged off Katniss' top, and as they parted to pull it off over her head, he stopped to look at her. Her breasts were just as perfect as he had imagined them, and he gently cupped them in his rough hands. Katniss took in his body, so muscular and strong, before pulling him against her again. Pushing her against a tree, he began to kiss her neck, working down to her breasts, making her gasp, her hands entwining in his dark hair. Whilst he softly licked and sucked her nipples, his hands undid her trousers and found their way inside.

She gasped and his lips returned to hers as he felt how wet she was, he began massaging her where she was most sensitive, still kissing her as she moaned into his mouth. She began to undo his own trousers, sliding them down and feeling for him. She had always assumed he would be but she was shocked to find how big he was, and how hard! She massaged his penis, causing both their desires to grow even stronger.

He lifted her against the tree, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, feeling his hard manhood, between her legs, pressing against her, and he could feel how wet with desire she was. Neither of them had done this before, and Gale pulled away for a moment to look at her and ask if she was sure. She swallowed, worried of how big he was, worried it would hurt, but then nodded, too full of lust to stop now. A slight smile touched his lips and he positioned himself at her entrance then slowly pushed into her, slow, shallow strokes at first, careful not to hurt her, then, as desire got the better of him, he thrust deeply into her, watching her eyes widen, gasping in shock and pleasure.

He continued to thrust into her, kissing her neck as she moaned into his hair. She had never imagined it feeling so good; her hands felt Gale's muscular back and arms tensing, and as he moaned into her, she was reminded of his strength. Her back arched as she became close to climax, and Gale watched her face as she tipped over the edge, eyes closed, mouth open, his name on her lips, and just the sight of it caused him to finish in her. As they both shook with the climax he lowered them onto his shirt on the ground.

Intertwined in each other's arms, panting for breath, Katniss felt a kind of contentment she had never experienced before.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

It had been five days since Katniss and Gale had made love in the forest, losing their virginity to one another. She still couldn't think about it without butterflies rising in her chest. She hadn't expected or meant for it to happen but it had, and although she loved the feeling of Gale being hers, she was terrified of the repercussions of their actions. If the Capitol found out that her and Peeta's love was a sham, that she had a real lover, they would certainly punish her, punish her family, punish Gale.

She closed her eyes to try to push the thought from her head, but it remained stubbornly, making her forehead crease with worry. After they'd made love she half expected a hovercraft to come from the sky and capture them, since that hadn't happened she was forever expecting a phone call or knock on the door to inform her they had been seen, that there would be punishment. She hadn't met up with Gale since, they discussed the possibility of the Capitol having eyes in the woods and thought it was best if they left it a week before meeting again, just to check if they were safe, but the time apart was killing her.

To interrupt her dismal thoughts the telephone began to ring, _this is it_, she thought grimly, _they know what I did_. She picked up the phone, hand shaking, hoping beyond anything it wasn't what she predicted. Trying her hardest to keep her voice steady she asked into the retriever "Hello?"

"Katniss!" Peeta's cheery voice at the other end calmed her instantly and it was all she could do to not let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh Peeta it's you, how are you?" She said with a smile, happy that this was not the situation she imagined.

"Yeh I'm good thanks, I was just calling to check you're definitely on board about this party on Sunday?" He asked, she could hear the note of concern in his voice, he knew her well enough that she could often be difficult.

"What party?" She asked, wondering if she had been invited and it had simply slipped her mind due to her preoccupation with Gale.

"At the Mayors house, the Capitol are throwing it, want to get a bit of footage of us being the perfect couple still. Hasn't anyone been in touch?" She could feel the blood drain from her face, was this what she had been expecting?

"No, no one said anything to me." She replied slowly, trying to keep the panic out her voice.

"Oh well they only called yesterday, they apologised for the short notice, apparently it was President Snows orders." Katniss remained silent, biting her lip, feeling dread wash over her. Peeta lowered his voice to a more gentle tone, "look, I know you don't like showing off for the cameras but you know how important to the Capitol this is," he was trying to coax her into coming without all the sulking that normally ensued, "do you want me to come over? We could talk about it?"

"No, no!" She replied to sharply, then quickly righted herself, "Its okay, a party would be nice, its getting boring in the Victors Village," she attempted a small laugh, "besides, the Capitol always gets what it wants," she added lightly. Her heart was pounding in her chest and panic was getting the better of her but she knew she had to keep it together; it could just be a coincidence.

Peeta wasn't convinced but knew not to push it, "well I'm sure Cinna will be in touch soon to sort a dress out for you or something," he paused, then asked tentatively, "will you be coming over tonight?" Katniss closed her eyes and screwed up her face, desperate for an excuse.

"Uh, I'm not sure yet, you'll know if I turn up on your door!" She replied unconvincingly.

"Okay then my love, see you soon!" She could hear the bruise in his voice but ignored it.

"Bye darling!" She hung up the phone and slid to the floor, anxiety consuming her.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

After the phone call Katniss sat on the floor for some time, she felt like a trapped animal, the panic was clouding her head, she couldn't think clearly. She wanted desperately to talk to Gale but that would only make matters worse. After continuously failing to come up with some kind of plan, she decided to go to the lake in the woods, swimming should help clear her head, or at least distract her.

It was midday by the time she reached the lake, and with the sun high in the sky it was scorching. She quickly stripped off her clothes and walked in, feeling the water soothe her sweltering body; she also started to feel calmer than she had before. She began to swim, dipping her head into the water, focusing on the movements of her arms and legs in the cool lake, trying to ignore her thoughts. After some time she could feel herself relaxing and she lay back in the water, drifting and looking at the clouds. She heard some light splashing near by and thought of the fish she could easily catch here once she'd finished calming down.

She mulled over the situation in her head, trying to think of a rational plan, but suddenly she was alert again, something wasn't right. She righted herself from lying on her back and paddled quietly, looking suspiciously around the lake. Nothing seemed out of sorts and she wondered if she had imagined it, when suddenly she was seized, dragged down into the lake. A scream escaped her but she was already emerged. Struggling she escaped the grasp and made it to the surface, gasping for air, where she encountered Gale. Laughing at her.

"Gale!" She screamed anger, surprise and relief all fighting for a place in her voice. He bit his lip to contain his laughter and moved towards her.

"I'm sorry Catnip, you just looked so peaceful, I couldn't help myself," He was still chuckling. She was beginning to recover from his little stunt and allowed him to take her into his arms. "I missed you," he whispered, kissing the top of her head.

"I missed you too. Oh things are so fucked up! I wanted to -" she began tears forming in her eyes, but Gale silenced her with a kiss.

"It's okay, I'm here now." He said gently, then began to kiss her again, pulling her against his naked body.

Katniss let herself get lost in the moment, kissing him back passionately, her legs wound around his waist, her hands in his hair. Still kissing her, Gale began to wade through the water, when he reached the side he laid her gently on the grass. He began kissing her neck, his hands exploring her smooth body, dripping with water. Her legs were still wrapped around him and she could feel how hard he was, all she wanted was to feel him inside her again, but Gale continued to kiss his way down her body. He lingered on her breasts, gently caressing her nipples with his lips, before working down to her hips. He felt a shiver of pleasure go through her and in response he began to kiss her most sensitive area. She moaned loudly as he began licking and sucking her clit, tasting her. As her moans continued he slowly began to push a finger inside her, feeling how wet she was, he heard the breath catch in her throat and she grabbed his hair, forcing him to keep going. He willingly obliged.

He was so hard it was all he could do to keep going until he could feel her trembling, then he gave her opening one last kiss before sliding his manhood into her. She gasped like she had the first time and he began pumping into her, she dug her nails into his back, so close to orgasm. She was biting her lip, eyes closed, right on the edge. Gale dipped his head and kissed her as he came into her, right as she also began to tremble with the waves of her own orgasm.

They lay panting in each other's arms for a while, Katniss had temporarily forgotten about her problems but as the glow from the sex began to wear off she soon began to worry again. She sat up, suddenly self-conscious, fumbling for her clothes. "Hey calm down, what's wrong?" Gale asked, concerned by the suddenness of her actions. After scrambling into her clothes she chucked Gales at him and began telling him about the party.

She told him about the phone call, the party, President Snow and the million possibilities of what may happen to them that had been running through her head. Gale had clothed himself and just sat, watching her as she babbled on in panic. When she had finally finished he remained silent for a moment before slowly saying, "So you think we're going to die because you were invited to a party?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Were you not listening? They know! President Snow is going to be there!" Her fear was still high in her voice and Gale wrapped his arms around her.

"I think if they were watching us they wouldn't invite you to a party to punish you, they'd have came to your house, or mine, and actually done some punishing." He told her reasonably. He rubbed her back to soothe her, "I think because that hasn't happened we can assume we're safe," Katniss smiled at the possibility. "So you go to that party and have a good time and when no one says anything about that _devilishly handsome_ boy in the woods you can see for yourself that we're safe!" They both began to laugh and she nestled against his chest, she knew talking to him would make her feel better.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Katniss stared at herself in the mirror. As always, Cinna had designed a beautiful dress for her to wear to the party, shades of red intertwined with yellows and white to create, as always, the illusion of fire. She half-heartedly twirled, watching the dress practically ignite, but today she could barely appreciate its beauty. Gale may have set her mind at ease at the lake but without him stroking her back, reassuring her, she had begun to panic again. Gale didn't know the Capitol like she did, how they acted, what they were capable of. Underhand and unexpected were how they worked, she was certain that if they wanted to, they could find a way to punish her even something designed for fun such as a party.

She heard her prep team's excited voices outside her room before they burst in, ready to start her makeup. She had grown fond of them, which wasn't surprising since before every public appearance they were always there to make her camera ready, and she made a lot of public appearances these days. She tried to focus on their idle chatter as they dabbed at her face and tugged at her hair, hoping that maybe it would calm her nerves.

Once her appearance was finally deemed acceptable, she was allowed into the car with Peeta to be driven to the mayor's house for the party. Upon arrival their star-crossed lovers act was back on, only this time Katniss knew she had to try to be even more convincing to avoid suspicion, but her guilt was stronger than ever, making her feel sick in the bottom of her stomach. They circulated round the party, Katniss hanging off Peeta's arm, smiling, gazing into each others eyes, laughing in all the right places to a boring story from a Capitol official. She was beginning to relax, maybe Gale had been right, maybe they were safe.

Just then she caught site of President Snow, staring at her from across the crowd and her heart quickened in her chest. She tried to steer Peeta away but he caught site of him and Snow had began to beckon them. "Come on, lets get the conversation with Snow over with," he said under his breath smiling at her. Katniss tried to hide her dread but she could tell by the worry in Peeta's eyes told her she wasn't very convincing, "I'm right here, it'll be okay." She gripped his arm a little tighter and made their way across the party.

"Ah! There's my little love birds!" He cried, throwing his hands up. The smell of perfume as they approached him was overwhelming, and behind that Katniss thought she could detect the stench of blood, but it seemed too out of place to be real, so she just forced a smile at Snow, hoping she looked calm. Luckily Peeta took over the conversation whilst Katniss just smiled and tightly gripped his arm.

But Snow's eyes were back on Katniss, steering the conversation in her direction. "So Katniss, what's it like finally getting to be with your _devilishly handsome _young man here?" Katniss felt her heart drop to the floor and to hide her faltering smile she nuzzled against Peeta and tried to laugh.

"Oh it's wonderful!" She didn't look back at his face and Snow must have known he'd had the desired effect because he took that moment to leave.

"Well it was great that we got to have this little chat." He told them, shaking Peeta's hand. After he was gone Katniss allowed herself to exhale.

"He's so creepy," Peeta murmured to her, "are you okay? I thought you were going to faint." He looked at her with concern; she tried to smile back at him then admitted,

"No not really, he unnerves me so much I'm going to go splash water on my face, might help calm me down." Peeta nodded and she quickly made her way to the bathroom.

Before she could reach it she heard Snow's chilling voice behind her in the corridor, "Katniss, I'd like a word with you in private please." She turned slowly; it took all her strength not to run for her life. He had opened a door to an office and he gestured her inside. Once she was in he locked the door after them and sat behind the large, rather grand desk. She gingerly sat down on the edge of a chair, desperately hoping Gale's name would not be mentioned.

"It's been noted you've stopped sleeping at Peeta's lately." He told her, eying her keenly. She remained silent. "In fact you don't seem to spend much time with him at all." Still she remained silent, scared that whatever she said would incriminate her more. "Do you know we have eyes everywhere Katniss?" She nodded slightly, looking down at her feet. "Even in the forest." She closed her eyes; this is what she had been expecting.

"What do you want me to do?" She asked quietly, her eyes firmly fixed on the floor. She could definitely smell blood under the scent of the roses now.

"I've thought long and hard about that," he replied slowly, enjoying watching her squirm, "and I thought about having Gale publicly killed for his sins of … _hunting _what is not his." Katniss let out an involuntary gasp and looked up to see Snow smiling.

"Well I'm not Peeta's, you know that!" She cried before she could stop herself, she slapped her hand to her mouth and looked back down at the floor.

"I never said you were dear, you belong to me, all the victors do." Surprised by this comment she looked up at him again, "and as much as I don't appreciate people taking what is not there's to take, I very much enjoyed watching it." Katniss began to feel sick, what she and Gale had was private, it was hers, and now Snow was making it his, watching them, mocking them. "So I decided that since he was so entertaining I would keep him alive, for a price."

He waited for her to reply, she felt utterly dismal and it took a while to get the words out, "what price?" she managed eventually.

"Well, we don't want it to look like you defied the Capitol do we? But I think there is definitely a market for what I saw in the woods. So if you could just replicate that, but with Peeta-"

"You want me to do what?" She gasped; this was a new low, even for him.

"I want you to convince the nation of your love for Peeta, and I want them to enjoy watching it." He smiled, either way he won, he got to use her as his little porn star or he killed Gale, possibly her family too. Check mate.

She stared at him for a long time, bewildered. Finally she asked in a slow, shaky voice, "so you want me to have sex with Peeta, and let you film it?"

"Don't sound so appalled, you already assumed there were cameras in the woods, watching you and Gale, but that didn't stop you. Wouldn't think you'd be camera shy now." She remained silent, this was not the situation she had envisioned, it was far harder, more complicated. "Well, you know the stakes, if I don't see a performance tonight I'll assume you weren't interested in my offer." With that he left the room, leaving her alone in her distress.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Peeta was just getting undressed from the suit he wore to the party, chucking his jacket onto the bed; he pulled his tie off and began to unbutton his shirt when there was a knock on the door. He went to open it and found Katniss, she'd changed out of her party dress but she still looked beautiful to him, as always, but she had a strange expression on her face. Before he had a chance to ask her what she was doing she began to speak.

"After seeing Snow at the party I don't think I'll be able sleep, and if I do I'll definitely have nightmares," That was true, although there were lies ready on her lips, "will… will you keep me safe tonight, please?"

"Of course I will, you don't need to ask, you never have to ask." He took her into his arms, and breathed in the scent of her hair. He pulled away from her to ask if she wanted a drink when she surprised him by kissing him. He kissed her back for a long moment, then forced himself to pull away, "what are you doing?" he whispered, looking into her dark eyes. She looked down at the floor.

"This isn't easy to say Peeta," she began, not sure how to word it, not sure how to make it sound most convincing, "I've never really done this kind of thing before, but…" Peeta waited, was this the moment he had been waiting for? Was she giving herself to him? "I need you to make me feel better," her eyes met his and he could see how nervous she was, "if… if you get what I mean." She looked away again, embarrassed.

Peeta lifted her chin, "if you're sure that's what you want." She nodded and he took her face in his hands and began to kiss her. He started slow, but she was kissing him desperately, like her life depended on it. What Peeta didn't realise was that she was kissing him like Gale's life depended on it. He carefully picked her up and carried her into the bedroom, gently laying her on the bed. She instantly sprang up to begin kissing him again, but he held her back softly by her shoulders "hey, we don't need to rush anything," he said, although he wanted desperately to make love to her, her welfare was more important to him.

"I'm just nervous, I'm sorry," she murmured, lowering her eyes.

"You've never done this before?" Something he had always wondered, he was hopeful he'd get the desired response. She slowly shook her head, still not looking at him. He smiled, "it's okay, I'll look after you." He gently began to kiss her again, and she slowed her kisses. He lowered her back onto the bed and began sliding his hand under her shirt and up her back. She began unbuttoning his shirt, remembering to keep it slow, her hands were shaking so much that she couldn't have done it quickly anyway.

He let her push his shirt off his shoulders and felt her run her hands over his back, his arms, before pulling her top off over her head. Unsure of how self-conscious she was he resisted the urge to look at her bare chest; instead he cupped her breast in his hand, feeling her hard nipple against his palm. His erection was so big it was uncomfortable in his pants but he didn't want to rush this moment with her.

Slowly they continued to undress each other, kissing gently, Peeta caressing her body. It was so different to being with Gale; it was slower, less passionate … more caring.

They were both naked now, their bodies pressed against each other. Trailing his hand down her body he found her entrance, despite how nervous she was, she was wet. He felt his erection twitch, desperate to be inside her. "Ready?" He whispered, she bit her lip and nodded, she still looked nervous as hell but he knew he'd been gentle with her, that this was what she wanted. He slowly pushed into her, groaning in pleasure, he heard her gasp underneath him, he continued slowly, careful not to hurt her, but he could see his efforts weren't enough as tears had formed in her eyes.

Worried it was too much, he stopped, concerned. "Keep going," she whispered, "it only hurts a little." He nodded and continued to pump into her, as he heard little moans of pleasure escape her he picked his pace up slightly. She ran her fingers through his golden hair as he began to kiss her neck, as terrible and guilty as she felt, it was difficult to ignore the pleasure he was giving her. He may have been going slow, but he was going deep, his hand found her clit and he began to rub it. She groaned, feeling how close to orgasm she was. Peeta sensed this, she no longer looked nervous, her eyes were tightly shut and she was moaning. He began to go harder, rubbing her clit faster, until he saw the waves of an orgasm crash over her, she moaned loudly and he thrust deeply into her one last time before he came as well.

He pulled out of her, and lay down on the bed beside her. She was still trembling and panting and he pulled her against him, her back to his chest and gently kissed the nape of her neck. She entwined her fingers with his and he pulled the cover over them. Peeta fell asleep easily that night, content and in love. Katniss, however, barely slept, she simply stared into the darkness, letting her tears slide down her face.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Katniss pretended to be asleep as Peeta got up and left for work at the bakery, and he was kind enough not to wake her. He placed a soft kiss on her cheek before leaving, wishing he could spend the day in bed with her. He smiled as he remembered the night before, then headed out.

As soon as she heard the front door close downstairs she jumped out of bed and began putting on her clothes. She wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. She ran back to hers and went straight to the shower, hoping to wash off the guilt that hung heavily on her. She started up the water and began to cry, her tears intermingling with the water from the shower, then she started scrubbing at her skin with the nailbrush, wanting to cleanse herself of her skins. Her crying became audible over the shower, she was rubbing her skin raw, _I'm a bad person, _she thought, choking on her own tears, _I'm a slut_, the pain from scrubbing was not enough to erase those thoughts. "It's not fair!" She wailed, throwing her fists against the wall of the shower. She continued to lash out until her fists bled, then she slid to the floor, sobbing dejectedly, letting the water wash over her, losing herself in her own sorrow.

After what felt like a very long time, she managed to rouse herself. Her clothes felt heavy on her raw skin but she welcomed the pain it brought. She had come to the decision she should see Gale. Although she didn't know what to say to him, she had to tell him something. She threw on her fathers hunting jacket and headed out the door.

Gale was waiting for her at their usual meeting spot and just the sight of him bought fresh tears to her eyes. "Hey, hey, what's wrong?" He said when he saw her face, rushing to comfort her.

"They saw us, they know." Gale's face turned white, he looked around, as if trying to see the cameras for himself.

"What are they going to do?" worry was all over his face now. _Are we safe? _He thought, half formed plans of escape began to assemble in his mind.

Katniss swallowed back a wave of tears, "we… we need to stop seeing each other." Gale opened his mouth to protest, but she shook her head, blinking away tears, "I made a deal with Snow, I-" she couldn't hold back anymore and she began to sob. "I'm so sorry!" she cried, "it was the only way to keep you safe!"

"Hey, don't cry, it's okay, I promise it's okay." He tried to take her into his arms, but this just made her cry even harder. _It's not okay _she thought sadly _if you knew what I did you wouldn't be saying that. _Gale wrapped his arms around her and pressed his forehead against hers, looking deep into her eyes. "It's okay, I love you no matter what." _If only that were true._

"I'm so sorry," she spluttered, "I love you so much, I need you to know that. Im sorry."

With that she turned and ran, not home but deeper into the woods. She ran and ran, further than Gale had ever been, she didn't want him to find her, she couldn't ever face him again. Finally when it grew dark she allowed herself to stop running. She was exhausted, starving and thirsty. She felt like she had on the first day of the hunger games. Still this pain wasn't enough to absolve her. She hauled herself into a tree and finally fell into a broken sleep in its branches.

When the morning sun woke her, she climbed down from the tree, stiff and aching. Slowly she began the long walk home, careful to stay away from anywhere that Gale may look for her. When she finally reached the fence she climbed under it and walked swiftly through the town, hoping no one would stop her, she couldn't handle social contact at this point. When she reached her house she slowly made her way up the stairs, then collapsed into the bed, pulling the cover over her head she wished as hard as she could that she would just disappear.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Peeta was worried about Katniss; he hadn't seen her since he'd left her in his bed the morning after they'd slept together. He wanted to check she was okay, it had been almost two days since he'd saw her and he was beginning to miss her beautiful face. It was late, so he wasn't sure if she would be awake, so after there was no response to his knock at the door he let himself in. He could hear the screams from her bedroom immediately and he cleared the distance from the front door to her room in no time at all.

He gently shook her awake, taking her out of her nightmare, she jolted at his touch then her sleepy eyes took in his face, _the boy with the bread, come to save me again _she thought wearily. She took in his features, he had such a kind face, but he was handsome too, he looked at her in a way that suggested she was the most beautiful thing in the world, a look that said he would die for her in an instant. That was what she disliked about Peeta, that look, she did not deserve that look for a second, she never had and she never would.

"Bad dream?" he asked softly, she nodded, tears spilling onto her cheeks, not from the dream but from the realisation that Gale wasn't the only one she was hurting, she was hurting Peeta too, he just didn't know it yet. She realised in that moment that she cared for Peeta more than she had been aware of, and that realisation filled her with even more guilt. "I'm here now, I'll look after you." He told her. He wrapped his arms around her and she snuggled into him, it was unfair for her to seek comfort, but she was craving human contact so much. She drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep, thankful that he was there, watching over her.

When she awoke the early morning sun was pouring in through the window and she was still in Peeta's arms, her back against his chest. She could feel his strong hand lightly stroking her arm, she wasn't sure if it was the golden sunlight, his soft hands or the fact that she was still half asleep, but she carefully took his hand and kissed the finger tips, then placed it back on her arm.

He paused for a second, then resumed stroking, only this time his fingertips traced over her hips. She kept her eyes closed, she was so tired that this encounter had a distinct dreamlike quality and she wanted to keep it that way.

She was already only in her underwear, so there was a lot of bare skin for Peeta's hands to explore, but they soon found they're way to her inner thigh, feeling her shiver as he ran his hands across them, he took that as a sign that she was enjoying it. He slipped her panties down and began to gently stroke her clit. Her breathing quickened and the little gasps and moans that escaped her soon made him incredibly hard.

She could feel his erection against her back, she still felt as if it was all a dream and so the feelings of guilt and pain that she'd experience upon waking fully could wait, besides, she needed to get used to sleeping with Peeta if she was hoping to keep Gale alive, however guilty it made her feel. She stopped thinking and just allowed herself to get lost in the moment.

Her back had arched against him and he slipped his finger down from her clit to her opening, she was so wet, he bit his lip, he wanted to be gentle with her but he wanted her so much. He pulled his own boxers down and slowly guided his penis into her, he wished he could see her face as he entered her, but she seemed so peaceful, he didn't want to ruin the moment. She was so wet that he slipped in easily and although he went slowly, he was less worried about hurting her this time.

Feeling Peeta slip inside her woke Katniss in a way that she had not been expecting, she felt same the desire that she had felt with Gale in the woods consume her. When his hand went back to her clit she moaned loudly, it felt so good but she was so consumed with this fiery heat that she pulled away from him. He wasn't expecting that and his face showed shock, even more so when she climbed on top of him, sliding down onto his hard erection. He let out a moan of pure pleasure and she began to ride him, his hands on waist, watching in awe of her gorgeous body moving on his shaft.

She could feel herself close to orgasm and she bit her lip, readying herself to feel it, when she heard the bedroom door being slung upon. She turned, shocked and saw Gale standing in the doorway. Instantly she got off Peeta and pulled the duvet up around her naked body, "Gale!" He looked as shocked as she felt, but the sound of her voice jolted him out of his surprised state, confirmed to him that this was indeed real, and he left as quickly as he could.

Katniss leapt into her clothes, chasing after him into the street, "Gale! It's not what it looked like! I can ex-" she began but he turned and cut her off sharply, his voice dripping with venom.

"I think it was exactly what it looked like, and it looked like you were all over Peeta Mellark's cock." She tried to speak but he interrupted her straight away, "I thought you loved me," she could hear the tears in his voice, could see them threatening to spill over onto his cheeks, "I thought… we were special." Then his voice hardened again, "But I suppose I was just another fuck to you then." She shook her head, no words were coming to her aid, he'd got it wrong, she did love him, but she deserved his anger. "I fucking loved you!" He shouted at her, "I would've risked my fucking life to be with you! And you don't even fucking care!" She fell to her knees; tears pouring down her face, apologies on her lips. She looked up to his face and saw it filled with utter disgust, "you slut." He spat at her, then turned on his heel and left.

She looked around desperately, as if trying to find a way out of this situation and out of the corner of her eye saw Peeta standing in her doorway, his face twisted with pain, he had heard the whole thing. A whole new wave of guilt and anguish washed over her and she dissolved into tears, still knelt on the cold floor.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

It was Haymitch who found her in the street, still sobbing. Despite his drunken state he picked her up hauled her into his house. Once in, he marched her to the kitchen sink. "Wash your face." He instructed her, she did so and the cold water helped bring her back to reality slightly. He sat her down at the kitchen table then took the seat opposite her. Then he just watched her as she tried to swallow her tears, waiting for her to talk. Finally she leant across the table and took his liquor, taking a huge sip, she spluttered and then tried again, this time taking smaller sips, she grimaced at the taste, but she needed something to take the edge off her current reality. When she started to feel woozy she pushed the bottle back over to Haymitch. Swallowing hard, she began.

"I'm in love with Gale." She wasn't sure how to go about telling Haymitch the situation, so this was as good as any place to start.

"I think half the town already suspected that sweetheart." He replied, still just watching her. She looked down at the table.

"There's cameras in the woods that I didn't know about, and so they, the Captiol, saw Gale and I… in the woods… together." Haymitch nodded slowly. She was glad at this moment that they understood each other so well as she was not about to start spelling anything out for him. "And then President Snow talked to me at the party, and he said he'd kill Gale, unless I went with Peeta… he wants to film it and sell it." Tears began rolling down her face, she felt so cheap and dirty at this moment, Gale was right, she was a slut.

"He's been known to do worse." Haymitch told her shortly, and then waited, sensing her story wasn't over yet.

"And then Gale walked in on Peeta and I… and I ran after him and tried to explain… but he wouldn't let me and now he hates me." She sniffed loudly, the tears coming faster now. "And Peeta heard the whole thing, so now he knows I was using him… So aside from the fact that I've hurt everyone concerned and they both hate me, I've ruined the deal I had with Snow, so now he'll kill Gale anyway." She barely choked this out before she dissolved into tears.

Haymitch let her cry for a while, considering how to respond. He wasn't really surprised, luckily the Capitol had no leverage over him because they had already killed everyone he cared about, but he knew that many other victors were forced into doing all kinds of things to keep their loved ones alive. "This is how they treat all the victors that they have any leverage over," He told her finally, "hold threats of death over their families and lovers heads, force them to do anything they want." Katniss looked up at him with bloodshot eyes.

"I guess you never really escape the games." She said, her voice shaking.

"I suppose not." Haymitch did not judge her for her actions, simply pitied the girl, pitied all the victors, despite fighting to the death for their freedom, they'd always be the Capitols toys. The Capitol needed to remind even the winners of who had the power. "Go and shower, sleep, and then in the morning go and speak to them."

Katniss shook her head, "I cant -"

"You have to." Haymitch cut her off. "This isn't just your life you're playing with. Try to be honest with them, you should know by now that lying to protect people only hurts them more sweetheart." He had a point, as much as she dreaded seeing either of them, she owed them that much, in fact she owed them much more than that really. She sniffed, rubbed away her tears with the back of her hand and got up to leave.

"Thanks Haymitch." She said in a quiet voice.

"Well, what are mentors for?" He replied sarcastically, taking a swig from his bottle. He watched her as she stumbled out of his door, she might not be as likeable as Peeta but that didn't mean he didn't feel responsible for her. He was their mentor, and she was right, the games never truly end.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

As Katniss walked back to her house from Haymitch's, she was expecting a sleepless night, but once she had showered and got into bed she was aware of how tired she was. She had been sleeping so badly recently and all the crying she had been doing had really taken it out of her. The alcohol she had drunk earlier also aided her into a deep, dreamless sleep.

When she awoke she was aware of her headache, the beginnings of a hangover. She showered and dressed, drank some water to re-hydrate her pounding head and left. She was too nervous to eat, what if Gale wouldn't listen to her? What if he didn't believe her? Scenarios ran through her head during her journey to their usual meeting place in the woods. Unsurprisingly he wasn't there. Unsure where to look next she decided to head to where they had first made love, she doubted he would be there but she wanted to revisit the area.

She moved quietly through the trees, still keeping an eye out for Gale, or something that would indicate his whereabouts, but she didn't spot anything, maybe he was avoiding the woods? She was only meters away when she heard him; grateful that she was approaching from behind she remained hidden and watched him. His shoulders shuddered with his grating sobs, she had never seen him cry before and the sight of it broke her heart. He was standing in front of the tree they'd made love against, in the bark there was a carved heart, she could tell it was a few days old, he must have done it after they'd slept together but before he'd found out about Peeta. Gale rubbed his face with his hands, wiping away the tears. He took out his hunting knife and began mutilating the carved heart, making it unrecognisable.

Katniss covered her mouth with her hand, trying to silence her own sobs. Seeing Gale in this much pain was too much. Suddenly Gale turned, he had heard her muffled cry and he moved towards the sound till he spotted her. The knife was still in his hand and he didn't say a word, he just stared at her, his face twisted with betrayal and pain.

"Please let me explain," she begged, "I had to, it was the deal, I had to keep you safe!" He had been about to leave but what she had said caught his interest. She had mentioned a deal earlier in the week, but never actually explained what she meant by it.

"What deal?" He asked, his voice harsh.

"President Snow said he'd kill you… unless I slept with Peeta." She choked out, biting her lip to stop herself whimpering like a wounded animal. Gale frowned, unsure what to believe.

"Why?" He demanded, still clutching his knife at his side, as if she was about to attack him. When she replied she didn't meet his eyes.

"He… he wants to record it… sell it to the people of the Capitol." Her reply was barely audible. She was visibly ashamed and covered her face with her hands, feeling sick with herself. He didn't want to believe her but he could see she was telling the truth.

"What the fuck…" he muttered, he was shocked that she had been defiled in this way. He couldn't believe the Capitol would stoop so low, but one look at Katniss, hiding her face in her hands, shaking with silent tears, told him they could, they had no limits.

He moved to hug her but as he came closer to her the image of her with Peeta filled his mind and he couldn't bring himself to take her in his arms, instead he just awkwardly patted her shoulder. She lowered her hands from her face, but wouldn't meet his eye, "I'm so sorry," she wept, "I just couldn't let them kill you… I'd rather you hated me than let you die."

"I don't hate you," he told her gently, she looked at him hopefully and he looked away, "I just need time to get my head around this… it's a lot to deal with." She bit her lip and nodded and watched as he walked away from her. She felt wretched but at least he knew now.

She stayed in the woods for a long time after he'd left, she felt slightly calmer there, she sat in the clearing and thought about everything, trying to make sense of it all in her own head. Gale was right, it was a lot to deal with. Finally she rose from the damp ground, she went to the mutilated heart on the tree, now just a series of jagged cuts in the bark. After gathering some berries from nearby she crushed them into her palm, then, dipping her fingertip in the red juice, she drew over the scared bark, another heart. It dripped messily, but she liked the effect, love was messy. She pressed her lips to the bark, rubbed her hands clean on her trousers and went home.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

The next morning Katniss got up early, showered and left quickly, hoping to catch Peeta before he left for the bakery. She stood in front of his house for a moment before finding the courage to knock on his door. She knew she'd feel slightly better after telling him everything, but she also knew how painful the process would be. She swallowed hard, and knocked on the door, telling herself that she needed to stop being such a coward.

"Hang on!" She heard him yell from inside. _No turning back now, _she thought nervously. She'd tried to plan what she was going to say to him, but no matter how she worded it she couldn't make it any less painful, any less despicable. The door opened and the smile he had ready for whoever his visitor was fell from his face when he saw her.

"I need to explain…" She began, trailing off; she didn't want to have this conversation out in the street. He stared at her for a while, searching her face, trying to read her emotions. He saw a whole range, remorse, shame, anxiety.

"I supposed you'd better come in then." He said finally, walking away from the door into the kitchen. She followed him in, sitting gingerly at the kitchen table she looked at her hands, trying to work out where to begin.

"I… I'm sorry." He nodded, waiting for her to continue. "President Snow told me I had to, else… else he'd kill Gale." She bit her lip, struggling to hold back tears; waves of guilt were crashing against her. Seeing her emotional turmoil Peeta decided to help her out.

"Why would he do that?" he asked her, he'd assumed that she'd slept with both of them because she liked them both, the revelation that she'd been made to sleep with him hit hard.

"Which? Make me or kill Gale?" he could tell she was stalling from the way her eyes wouldn't meet his.

"Both." He was certain her explanation was going to hurt him more than the conclusion he'd previously came to, but he wanted to know the truth.

"You know he watches us 24/7? He has cameras everywhere, you can't do a thing without him knowing," this idea unsettled Peeta, was this true? Did they genuinely have no privacy? "And he saw me and Gale in the woods." She rubbed her face in anxiety, this was even harder than she'd imagined. "And then he said that he enjoyed watching us-" her voice broke, but she swallowed hard and continued, "so instead of killing him he offered me a deal, to give him a show that he could sell," Tears were pouring down her face now, "so it had to be with you."

Peeta remained silent, digesting this information, but he was having trouble, he couldn't make the pieces fit together. "Who is he selling it to?" He asked finally.

"The people of the Capitol." She replied quietly. His forehead creased as it dawned on him; _President Snow was using them as porn stars_.

"So you knew that us… together… would be broadcasted to strangers?" he asked her in a controlled voice, "and you didn't tell me?" Katniss covered her mouth but he could hear her whimpering. "Why?"

"I couldn't let them kill Gale, and you wouldn't have done it if you knew." He considered that for a moment, it was true that he wouldn't have wanted to sleep with her if he'd have known the real circumstances, and he felt incredibly uncomfortable that other people were watching. He thought about this all for a while, ignoring her quiet crying.

"Why did you tell me it was your first time?" the question took her by surprise, and she realised she didn't have an answer, _why am I such a bitch?_She asked herself.

"I don't know," fresh tears stung her eyes as he nodded slowly, "I'm so sorry Peeta." She sobbed.

"Do you love him?" She bit her lip and nodded, not meeting his eyes. Peeta ignored the ache in his chest that information caused. "Do you even care about me at all?" There was no hint of anger in his voice, just a deep sadness.

"Yes! Yes of course I do! How could you think I didn't?" He raised an eyebrow at her and she lowered her eyes again, realising it was fairly obvious why he'd think that.

"So did it mean anything to you? Being with me." The sadness in his voice hurt her heart and she realised in that moment that it had meant something. She was shocked at her own revelation, she couldn't tell Peeta that but she swore to herself that she wouldn't lie to him. There was a long pause.

"I love Gale." She answered finally. Pain flickered across his face before he registered what that response could actually mean.

"That's not an answer." He countered, she looked away, she didn't like this situation. "Did it-" he began, but he was cut off by the sound of her scraping her chair back. She stood quickly.

"I came here to explain, I've been completely honest with you and now you know the situation." He jumped up, a protest on his lips but she turned and left, once she'd got through the door she began to run. It had meant something to her, but what? Something in her had broke when she saw the pain in his face, all she'd wanted to do was hold him in her arms and stroke his hair, kiss away his tears. But she loved Gale. _Fuck._


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

_She didn't say no_, Peeta thought again, allowing it to sink in. Since Katniss had stormed out of his house those words kept playing though his head, _she didn't say it didn't mean anything. _What did that mean? Surely it must mean that it had meant something, which would suggest she had feelings for him – romantic feelings.

He wasn't angry with her for her actions, she was put in an impossible situation and she did what she thought was best, and she clearly never meant to hurt anyone. He had been devastated to learn that she had used him, that she didn't love him, but that didn't stop the way he felt about her. He had always loved her and nothing could make him stop loving her. So the news that despite being forced into it, the sex had meant something to her, filled Peeta with hope. He allowed himself a smile, maybe she could love him, and maybe one day she'd be his. _What about Gale, _he thought, his face darkening. His desire to see Katniss happy outweighed his desire to be with her, so he resolved he would just let Katniss do what she wanted and hope that maybe they'd end up together.

His train of thought was interrupted by three harsh knocks at his door, "It's open!" he yelled, assuming it was Haymitch, drunk and hoping Peeta would cook for him, so he was shocked when Gale's tall figure appeared in the kitchen door. "Gale… I wasn't expecting you."

"Did you know about the deal Katniss made?" He asked almost accusingly, his dark eyes boring into him.

"No, of course I didn't, I don't even know why you'd think that." Peeta replied. He could see this was going to be a difficult conversation.

"I wouldn't be surprised, I bet you loved it, you've always been gagging for her." He replied aggressively, just seeing Peeta, knowing that he'd fucked Katniss, _his Katniss_, was making it difficult for him to be civil.

"If you just came here to have a go at me you can leave." Peeta said evenly. Gale _was_ very good looking, tall, muscular, and tan, with very strong, chiselled features, so it was easy to see how Katniss found him attractive, but he was so aggressive and short tempered, he couldn't see how any one could put up with that.

"I came here to tell you to stop fucking her." His eyes were murder and there was a lot of force behind the words, it sounded like a threat. "I don't care if they kill me, I'd rather die than share her."

Peeta looked him in the eye defiantly; "I notice you're not saying this to Katniss, scared she won't be able to stay away from me?" They both knew there was no point talking to Katniss because she'd do anything to keep Gale safe, but Peeta couldn't help provoking him. Gale stopped trying to control his temper and lashed out, punching him hard in the nose, Peeta recoiled, his hand to his face, trying to stop the flow of blood from his nose. He had never been a fighter and he didn't fancy his chances against Gale, who was no doubt bigger, stronger and a better fighter than him. Gale was about to punch him again when someone grabbed his raised fist, Haymitch.

He had came in unnoticed whilst they were arguing and now twisted Gale's arm behind his back, "I think you'd better come with me." He said, his breath smelling lightly of alcohol.

"Fuck off! You're not my fucking mentor, leave me alone!" Gale shouted, struggling to get out of his grasp.

"Have you ever killed anyone, boy?" He paused a second to allow Gale time to respond, "I didn't think so. Well I have, and if you don't come with me now I'll show you how." He released Gale and walked out the door, they both knew he wouldn't kill him but he decided to do as he was told for once. Before leaving he turned back to Peeta.

"I fucking meant what I said Mellark." He spat, glaring at him, then followed after Haymitch.

Once they were both inside Haymitch turned to Gale, he looked distinctly unimpressed. "I can see why you and Katniss get on so well, you're like two halves of the same person."

Gale was still furious so snapped back, "You don't even know me, you drunk." Haymitch smiled sarcastically.

"I've never heard that one before. And I might not know you but I know her, and you're the fucking same, just as pig headed and annoying as each other." Gale was taken aback by this slightly, he'd assumed Haymitch liked Katniss and that's why he helped her out so much.

"Fuck you. Why did you drag me here?" He was getting a grip on his temper but he was still feeling pretty hostile towards Haymitch.

"Well as a mentor that worked _so hard, _to keep those two idiots alive, I'd like to see them remain intact." Gale sincerely disliked the sarcastic tone he was using. "So if it isn't too much to ask I'd appreciate if you didn't kill Peeta, I do actually like the boy, he cooks a good meal." Gale snorted and looked away, he'd do what he liked. "And if we want to keep Katniss alive we better make sure no one kills you."

"I don't want her fucking other boys for my life." Gale said stubbornly. He wasn't even really willing to discuss the topic. Haymitch sighed.

"If you die she won't be able to cope. We both know that. Obviously you're just as stubborn as she is, but you're not an idiot." Gale imagined what he'd do if Katniss died, and realised that if the roles were reversed he'd do whatever it took to keep her alive.

"What am I meant to do?" He asked eventually, resigning to the fact that he hadn't came up with a decent idea yet.

"I don't know, I'm trying to work something out, but till we come up with a plan I think you should go over there and look after her. It's a shit situation and it's destroying her, god knows she didn't handle it very well, but she never does." Gale's mouth twisted with indecision. "I'll kill you here and now if you don't get that stubborn streak under control." He threatened playfully. "If you loved her you'd be there for her, we both know Peeta would be there now if she'd let him." Haymitch was a clever man and he knew how to play Gale, who instantly reacted to the suggestion that Peeta was a better man for Katniss.

"Fuck Peeta. You had better come up with a plan fast, I can't promise I won't kill him if he tries touching her again." Haymitch raised an eyebrow but nodded. _Fucking teenagers_, he thought darkly to himself.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Gale stood in the rain outside Katniss' front door for a full five minutes before he knocked. He needed time to calm himself down, to get himself into the right mindset, he didn't want to end up shouting at her when he'd came over to comfort her. He attempted to block all negative thoughts from his head as he waited on the doorstep.

When Katniss opened the door and saw him her tear stained face lit up, but uncertain what to do she just stood awkwardly in the doorway. "I miss you." Gale said quietly, and right now that's all he could think when he looked at her, he missed hearing her laugh, he missed the way her forehead creased when she was concentrating and most of all he missed holding her. He held out his arms to her and she ran into them with such force that they fell backwards into the rain. They were both laughing, arms wrapped tightly around each other, the rain pattering onto them. "I love you Katniss Everdeen," he said, still laughing.

"I love you too." She looked into his dark eyes; his wet hair was plastered against his forehead and his face glistened in the rain, she smiled at him, "I love you so much." Then her lips met his and they held a long, slow, passionate kiss. It felt so good to be with the one she loved.

By now they were both soaked through and beginning to shiver, so Gale picked her up in his strong arms and carried her up to her bedroom, continuing to kiss her deeply. In her room he placed her on the bed and pulled his wet shirt over his head, he quickly unbuttoned her shirt and let his hands explore her smooth, wet body. They swiftly removed the rest of their clothes and he held her in her arms tenderly, looking into her eyes he tucked a wet strand of hair behind her ear. "I want you forever." She whispered, praying that he'd say it back.

"Forever." He agreed, and kissed her hard, sliding into her. She moaned into his mouth and he gently bit her lip, causing her to lift her hips so he could thrust deeper into her. Her arms were wound around him and they were so close she could feel his heartbeat against her chest. Suddenly he flipped them over so she was on top, he sat up so his face was level with her breasts and began kissing them. She groaned and began riding him, her fingers entwined in his hair, she could feel his moans on her skin as he caressed her with his lips. Feeling she was close to orgasm and sped up, just as she reached it she felt Gale shudder and groan, cumming hard inside her.

They fell back on the bed panting, then Gale drew her into his strong arms, placing light kisses on her shoulder. She entwined her fingers with his and settled her head on his chest, smiling. They lay cuddling like this for sometime, watching it grow dark outside the window. After a while Gale's stomach growled and Katniss giggled before suggesting they went down and made something to eat.

She pulled a dress over her head and Gale put on his underwear, hanging the rest of his clothes up to dry on the radiator. Holding hands they made their way into the kitchen. He was in a happy Katniss induced daze until she suddenly froze in the doorway. Snapping back to reality he saw a huge bunch of red and white roses in the centre of the kitchen table. _Peeta Mellark, you cunt _Gale thought instantly, gritting his teeth together. Katniss slowly approached the bouquet and removed the card from among the flowers. Gale remained in the doorway, he sniffed the air, the flowers were sickly sweet with undertones of… _blood? _Confused he started towards Katniss, who had turned deathly pale; her eyes were wide with shock. "What is it?" he asked, now doubting that the flowers were from Peeta.

"It's from Snow." She said quietly, handing the card to him. He looked at it blankly for a moment, '_The show must go on!' _it read. Realising the meaning he crumpled it in his hand and looked at her defiantly.

"Well it's not going to is it?" He asked, his voice had a dangerous edge to it.

"What am I supposed to do? I can't let you die." Her voice was full of desperation; she wished they could go back to five minutes ago where they were happy and in love.

"I'd rather die than share you." He replied in a controlled voice, battling to keep his anger under control. She began to cry and he wrapped his arms around her, an idea had suddenly occurred to him. He kissed the top of her head then pressed his lips to her ear, "run away with me." He whispered it so quietly that she almost thought she'd imagined it but when she pulled away and looked into his eyes he could see that he had said it, and meant it. She nodded her head very slightly, careful to make sure that any viewers of their current scene wouldn't realise the exchange. "I've got to get back, but I'll meet you tomorrow in the woods?"

"Usual place." She confirmed and she kissed him deeply, then he turned and left. _Is this really happening? _She asked herself, _are we really going to run away? _She smiled at the thought of finally being free from it all, then she turned and picked up the roses and threw them out the back door, _fuck you Snow_, she thought smiling.


	14. Chapter 14

**Authors note: I'm ignoring the issue of her family, who she obviously wouldn't leave, for the sake of the story line.** Chapter Fourteen

Katniss woke early the next morning, she hadn't slept well; she was nervous and excited about running away with Gale. She could hardly believe she was going to do it, soon she'd be free of the Capitol's grasp, she would no longer be a piece in their games. But what if they got caught? A whole new host of possibilities arose in her mind, but she banished the thoughts, things couldn't get much worse than they already had, surely? Then her mind settled on something else… Peeta. She wondered what would happen to him after she left, she chewed on her lip, concerned. Finally she decided to go and visit him.

When he opened the door he smiled at her and she was glad that he had obviously forgiven her for what had happened. After they'd exchanged greetings and had moved into the house he asked her why she'd come over. Now she was there she couldn't really remember, "I don't know, I just felt like seeing you, I wanted to check everything was okay… with us?" He looked at her for a moment, wondering what she meant by 'us', then, as if reading his mind, "we're still friends yeh?"

He'd been hoping it was a bit more, but he smiled at her and nodded, "Yeh, of course we are, I know it wasn't your fault." Katniss nodded too, smiling back at him, but there was a distinctly awkward air to it, Peeta sensed this, "Is that all that's up?"

Katniss bit her lip, trying to find the right words, "I just… I just wanted you to know that I really do care about you Peeta, I'm glad we're friends. We've been through so much and it really means a lot that you've been there for me. I just wanted to tell you." She looked away, embarrassed.

Peeta smiled back at her, stepping forward to take her hand, "I know." He told her gently. She looked up into his bright, friendly eyes and hugged him tight, realising she would miss him. She was glad she'd come to say goodbye.

"Well I need to get going, hunting to do and stuff." She said, pulling away.

Peeta nodded, "Bye Katniss."

"Bye Peeta." She replied sadly, then kissed him gently, before running out the door back to her own house. Upon closing her front door she let a silent tear slide down her cheek, knowing that would probably be the last time she saw the boy with the bread.

Peeta placed his fingers to his lips where she had just kissed him, wondering what had caused the short exchange. It was odd behaviour for her, but then Katniss was always surprising him. He allowed himself the hopeful thought that maybe this was a step in the right direction of her falling in love with him. _Maybe. _


End file.
